Ivan Stasiuk, activist of the Young Front, lodged with Prosecutor General Ryhor Vasilevich a complaint concerning the conditions in the temporary detention facility of Brest. A copy of the complaint was submitted to the Leninski district procuracy in Brest.

Mr. Stasiuk was detained at 3.15 p.m. on 3 February in the building of the Leninski district police department in Brest on suspicion in hooliganism. At 6 p.m. he was placed in the temporary detention facility situated in the Leninski district police department. At 12 a.m. on 6 February Mr. Stasiuk was released. The official reason for the detention was that according to testimony of an eye-witness Ivan Stasiuk ostensibly had taken part in the fight that took place on 23 February on the crossing of Kasmanautau Strip and Masherau Avenue in Brest.

In his complaint the Young Front activist states that the conditions in which he was kept in the temporary detention facility violate the norms of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, according to which ‘no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’ and ‘all persons deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person’.

In Particular, Mr. Stasiuk complains about the cold in his cell, as a result of which he had to wear his coat there all the time. All prisoners were issued bedclothes only on 5 February, after a visit of the human rights defender Raman Kisliak. In addition, the prisoner hasn’t been lead out for a walk during the whole three days of detention. There was no natural light and the artificial lightning was insufficient. The ventilation was pure, as a result of which all prisoners had to breeze the cigarette smoke left by the smokers.

Ivan Stasiuk demands to take urgent measures for elimination of these defects and create normal conditions for prisoners in the temporary detention facility of the Leninski district police department in Brest.